Kirsty Roe is running in the Oxford half marathon and raising funds for Oxfordshire Mind.
Kirsty's Half Marathon Has Special Motivation
7 months ago 
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An internal medicine specialist at a Solihull animal hospital is tackling a half marathon to raise funds for a cause which is very close to her heart and mind.
Kirsty Roe, who works at Linnaeus-owned Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, is competing in the Oxford Half Marathon on Sunday, October 15, in support of Oxfordshire Mind, the mental health charity.
Kirsty, who is also a mental health first aider (MHFA) at her place of work, has seen her own dad, now aged 96, suffer from severe depression, which he has had for much of his life but was brave enough to recognise that he needed help.
Linnaeus has trained at least one MHFA in all of its practices, who are on hand to provide confidential support to team members about their mental health and wellbeing.
“Running is my mental therapy and I am running the Oxford half marathon to support a charity, Oxfordshire Mind, that many of us may need to turn to at some point in our lives,” said Kirsty.
“As for my dad, it's been a very long road to physical and mental recovery for him. On one dark day where I felt so helpless as to what I could do, I rang Oxfordshire Mind and spoke to a wonderful lady who was kind and empathetic, recognising the effects of poor mental health on the individual, but also the ripple effects on the family.”
The Oxford half marathon is Kirsty’s second, having taken part in the Coventry half marathon two years ago. Following intense training, she is hoping to complete the Oxford course in just under two hours.
Anyone wishing to support Kirsty can donate via her JustGiving page.
To find out more about Willows’ wide range of specialist services, visit www.willows.uk.net or search for Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service on Facebook.
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